my 1016 vintage build diary

[irate03]

I am copying some of my post from over at HF so this is the catch up so far.

After two Pam homage builds that I am very happy with, I decided to try to build something smaller for my wife. She likes small watches but has never had a mechanical watch so I hope the weight is not an issue.

DAY 1 - today my explorer 1016 Tiffany arrived from Silix, it came with a bracelet, the quality looked ok but i'm not an expert in bracelets, it is irrelevant anyway as I am going to use a leather strap or leather nato. I'm still very unsure what to use as my wife has small wrists and I want the leather to be very soft but I have a very limited budget. In the past for my Pam builds I've bought cheaper straps and aged and softened them myself which has worked out very well.

The strap size is 20mm and I think the size for a plexi will be about 30mm but i'm guessing at the moment. The lugs are not drilled through, not sure if I can ignore that little details at the moment.

Here are some images of the case before I take it apart.

UPDATE ****

My first attempt at luming the indices. pre-mixed lume straight on. I'm thinking I could add another layer but maybe with some matt varnish added to the lume, what do you think ? some of the reference shots i've found have lume that looks quite fluffy like this.

UPDATE *****

So here's the new vintage aged dial.

UPDATE******

Here are some more close up's with a proper camera this time.

It's way to small for me but i'm falling in love with this watch !!! :shh:

 

[irate03]

UPDATE ****

oh and this is where it will live when my wife's not wearing it. just finished the box today.

 

[Rainsick33]

My first love, the explorer! Im going into a 1016 build myself soon!

 

[Spirit]

Looking fantastic indeed! I´m loving the steps thru this build and wanna see it finished!

My love for the Explorer has returned recently, and I´m digging all the threads about it now, being it vintage or not.
...But just out of curiosity...Does your wife share the same love for vintage "old-beaten-up" pieces, or will it be a surprise? I ask that cause "most" women prefer new things instead of old ones...and having some vintagized dial on it wouldn´t make the itch to have it cleaned rise up? lol

Of course, this 1016 can be also worn by you none the less, which wouldn´t be a problem, I suppose. :lol:

Awesome build and thread! Congrats one more time!

Cheers,
Spirit.

 

[federico]

Great stuff mate. Amazing work you're doing.

 

[rols16610]

very nice, looks excellent, and the box as well

 

[irate03]

Looking fantastic indeed! I´m loving the steps thru this build and wanna see it finished!

My love for the Explorer has returned recently, and I´m digging all the threads about it now, being it vintage or not.
...But just out of curiosity...Does your wife share the same love for vintage "old-beaten-up" pieces, or will it be a surprise? I ask that cause "most" women prefer new things instead of old ones...and having some vintagized dial on it wouldn´t make the itch to have it cleaned rise up? lol

Of course, this 1016 can be also worn by you none the less, which wouldn´t be a problem, I suppose. :lol:

Awesome build and thread! Congrats one more time!

Cheers,
Spirit.

Fingers crossed eh!! :wub: she's seen my Pam builds and I showed her some vintage explorers online, she knows how much i put in to the vintage builds and said she never thought I would ever make something like that for her, how sweet.....

But yeah, if she doesn't like it i'll buy a nice leather nato and wear it myself, although it's half the size of my pam's :lol:

 

[irate03]

getting impatient waiting for the plexi to arrive, I've ordered another type from cousins and a Clark tropic 22 off ebay which may take some time to get here, the cousins plexi should arrive tomorrow and I will see if that fits first.

so while I wait I took a crappy iphone lume shot

 

[Billio]

Looks great buddy!

 

[irate03]

It's done, the plexi arrived from Cousins today. it was a 30.3 high dome armoured, remove the armour ring so the inside recess fits on to the case, I think the stock plexi is a fraction thicker at the bottom as the bezel pushes firmly on where as with the new plexi it just sits on, so I used G-S Hypo cement both on the plexi and under the bezel, it's nice and solid now, I'm still waiting for a Clark Tropic 22, it may or may not fit. But for now i'm happy

AND MY WIFE LOVES IT !!!!!! RESULT.

here are some lovely pictures.

 

[Spirit]

Just outstanding!!!
...Loved it so much that I´m almost asking you to build one for me too. Those pics do help to get hooked by the dial aging tho, and would make awesome wallpapers.

Do you have them in HQ (2600x1600+)? I´d like to use them as background wallpaper here. (all the pics)
Thanks!

Congratulations on your work and photo skills, and that´s really cool that your wifey loved it! Enjoy it safely and in good health, my friend!

Cheers,
Spirit.

 

[champagnesky]

Love it! Wanna build another one?

 

[fistball]

this is so beautiful....in awe

 

[switi]

hi, i love the explorer that i also built one for my wife , though its all gen parts.
the way you made the patina on the dial and hands are perfect! very nice.
only one thing that bugs me, the cse looks very new, like it was purchased yesterday, while the dial is aged.
does not add up, for me...

if i were the owner, would prefer a little nick, desk diving streaks on the case and bracelet too. twas like Bond wore it int he 60's.

but that's me.


Great job on the dial and hands!!!!

 

[switi]

oh sorry, it was for your wife! then she would really prefer it shiny outside:whistling:

 

[jonatutu]

Wow that is so beautiful. I am drooling all over. I love boy size watches and 42mm is biggest I go haha